Great tool to help solder two wires together.

[atikovi]

I probably got this Assenmacher soldering clamp a year ago but this is the first time I put it to use. Better than any other method I can think of to join two wires together. Using home electrical twist connectors is ghetto. Crimped butt connectors are too bulky. Forming the ends into a hook and then soldering is awkward. Twisting them together and soldering leaves a bulky bulge. With this method, after you put on some heat shrink tubing, the joint is hardly thicker than the original wires.

 

[Donald]

Couldn't you just use an old connecting rod? That is what this looks like.

 

[atikovi]

I don't have any old connecting rods. Besides, they they don't stand up vertical.

 

[Eddie]

Looks neat and professional but, time consuming if you have many splices.

 

[andyd]

If you had it a yr before using it, it is fine for your rate of use. Looks Like a well made jig,a life time tool. A couple nails on a board would work for me. I dont solder wires very often.

 

[benjy]

a nice tool but a bit spendy + others are less, but thanks for sure

 

[ARCOgraphite]

On power supplies I require the two wires to be looped and the twisted back on themselves to provide a chain link mechanical connexion resisting strain. On simple, low current splices where there is no mechanical factor what atikovi did would be a neat, acceptable job. Also you can just crimp as an alternative. In a HIFI audio chain, I remove as many mechanical and solder joints in the signal path as can be done. Each joint is an imperfect conductor and can add diodic effects which cause audible signal deterioration.

 

[MasterSolenoid]

OP, thanks for the idea on holding two wires. It's easy to get frustrated if you can't connect the wires 'before' soldering. I saw this on youtube and aim for this method. If it's good enough for NASA, it's good enough for me. How to Solder Two Wires https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-ymw7d_nYo

 

[wag123]

For many years I have been using one of these for help with soldering. They are only about $7.

 

[P10crew]

Good fibd

 

[Cujet]

A good method, but I prefer an environmental splice or solder sleeve connector that is crimped, soldered and environmentally sealed. I find them easiest to work with. As there is no real need to hold the wires precisely. You can make your own with a non insulated butt splice and heat shrink.

 

[atikovi]

Originally Posted by Cujet

A good method, but I prefer an environmental splice or solder sleeve connector that is crimped, soldered and environmentally sealed. I find them easiest to work with. As there is no real need to hold the wires precisely. You can make your own with a non insulated butt splice and heat shrink.

Maybe for one or two wires in a harness that would work, but I was doing a 4 wire pigtail and those things would be way too bulky to fit in the loom.

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted by atikovi

Originally Posted by Cujet

A good method, but I prefer an environmental splice or solder sleeve connector that is crimped, soldered and environmentally sealed. I find them easiest to work with. As there is no real need to hold the wires precisely. You can make your own with a non insulated butt splice and heat shrink.

Maybe for one or two wires in a harness that would work, but I was doing a 4 wire pigtail and those things would be way too bulky to fit in the loom.

You don't splice all the wires in a loom at the same point. Stagger the splices by an inch or so.

 

[atikovi]

I understand that but when a pigtail is 4-6 inches with 4-12 wires, it's not always possible.

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted by atikovi

I understand that but when a pigtail is 4-6 inches with 4-12 wires, it's not always possible.

Environmental slices are superior to soldering for repairs and I have never had problem using them due to space in my 13 years as an aircraft mechanic. They're not bulky.

 

[WhizkidTN]

Originally Posted by Cujet

A good method, but I prefer an environmental splice or solder sleeve connector that is crimped, soldered and environmentally sealed. I find them easiest to work with. As there is no real need to hold the wires precisely. You can make your own with a non insulated butt splice and heat shrink.

These are all I use now for wire splicing on the car, etc. For AC house wiring projects, I've started using the Wago lever nuts/blocks. Super nice and better than wire nuts (IMHO).

 

[Dave9]

Originally Posted by rooflessVW

Originally Posted by atikovi

I understand that but when a pigtail is 4-6 inches with 4-12 wires, it's not always possible.

Environmental slices are superior to soldering for repairs

Only if you're not any good at soldering. Mechanical/tube splicing offers no advantage over a good solder joint with a sealing heatshrink tube over it except speed, and repeatability if you aren't good at soldering (but depends on quality splice tool still) and often has disadvantages such as size, weight, cost. There are those who want to claim problems like wire fatigue, oblivious to the fact that if soldered properly, there is less fatigue than mechanical splicing. I'm not arguing do it one way or the other, rather either will work so do it the way you're best at.

 

[Dave9]

Originally Posted by wag123

For many years I have been using one of these for help with soldering. They are only about $7.

Those are very handy, but leave room for improvement. I took two of them, took the center pivot piece (that the rod slides in) off of one, put it on the rod of the other one, then put an alligator clip on that pivot piece so there are 3 clips on one, with the added middle clip able to slide closer and further from the other two. I put holes in the cast iron base and bolted it to an aluminum plate for more resistance to tipping from the larger footprint and more weight at the bottom, but first I wire brushed and bleached the plate, creating a cheap/easy dull gray anti-reflective finish (very nice to not have reflections when you have a strong light shining down at the work piece). I also took the other alligator clip off the now partially dismantled one, put heatshrink tubing over its jaws so it is gentler on fine wire insulation, can swap it into use as needed.

 

[WhizkidTN]

Originally Posted by Dave9

Originally Posted by rooflessVW

Originally Posted by atikovi

I understand that but when a pigtail is 4-6 inches with 4-12 wires, it's not always possible.

Environmental slices are superior to soldering for repairs

Only if you're not any good at soldering. Mechanical/tube splicing offers no advantage over a good solder joint with a sealing heatshrink tube over it except speed, and repeatability if you aren't good at soldering (but depends on quality splice tool still) and often has disadvantages such as size, weight, cost. There are those who want to claim problems like wire fatigue, oblivious to the fact that if soldered properly, there is less fatigue than mechanical splicing. I'm not arguing do it one way or the other, rather either will work so do it the way you're best at.

The crimpless butt connectors is what "I think" is being called environmental slices and if so, they do use solder as part of the connection. The best way to use them is to proper butt weave the two wires together and then slide the connector over it. Heat with a flame to melt the solder into the wires and also to heat shrink the tubing and melt the final waterproof seals on the ends.

 

[George Bynum]

Originally Posted by atikovi

Forming the ends into a hook and then soldering is awkward. Twisting them together and soldering leaves a bulky bulge.

I've soldered wires many times over 60 years. EVERY document I've seen "required" the joint be physically secure before soldering. Yours looks really nice, and with the amount of overlap may do pretty well in tension, but I'd not do it myself. It's yours; do as you wish, but I discourage it.